Scotti’s Original Springs Straight Bourbon Plays Off Family Legacy

Scotti’s Original Springs Straight Bourbon recently debuted as a new American whiskey with its own interesting backstory.

This expression, according to those behind it, was the idea of one Doug Scotti. It is said his grandfather, Pete Scotti, opened Scotti’s Liquor Store in downtown St. Louis in the 1940s. It reportedly carried all the traditional name brand whiskeys and, over time, began to develop its  own brand, Scotti’s Original Springs straight bourbon.

A few years ago, Doug Scotti is said to have stumbled across a bottle of his grandfather’s bourbon on eBay. He “took it as a sign to re-establish his grandfather’s legacy,” wanting to recreate that original look and feel of a 1940s bourbon. He partnered with R6 Distillery, a family and veteran owned distillery in El Segundo, California, just south of Los Angeles International Airport, to create the new whiskey.

What is today Scotti’s Original Springs is a 2-year-old straight bourbon with a mash bill of rye, corn and 100% California purple barley. The latter grain is seen as being quite rare, originally from the Tibetan mountains and grown at 9000 ft levels. It is said seeds were tucked in a seed vault for a century and then planted in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

“The uniqueness of purple barley in the mash bill gives the bourbon a unique nutty flavor, with a hearty flavor and finish,” said Doug Scotti in a prepared statement. “The color is rich and deep and keeps with our family tradition.”

Scotti’s Original Springs is bottled at 45% ABV. It is said to have “a unique, nutty and hearty flavor.”